“Nothing at all,” Cole said quickly. “Your food is always delicious and everyone in town knows it.”
Katie beamed at Cole, then stuck out her hand toward Sienna. “Maybe not someone new to town. I’m Katie Crawford.”
“Sienna Pierce.”
“Nice to meet you, Sienna. What brings you to Crimson? How do you and Cole know each other? Can I bring you dessert for later?”
“That’s a lot of questions,” Sienna said, her stomach growling as she inhaled the delectable scent of tangy chicken salad and fresh bread.
Katie’s smile widened even farther. “My husband says I’m too curious for my own good, but it’s part of owning a business.” She scrunched up her pert nose. “Plus we have a little one at home now, so work hours are about all the time I get to socialize.”
“I saw the other ladies at monthly Mexican a couple of weeks ago,” Cole said. “Noticed you weren’t part of the group.”
“Willow had a bad cold,” Katie told him. “Noah was on an overnight doing trail maintenance on the other side of the pass, and I didn’t want to get a sitter.”
Sienna took a big bite of the sandwich, moaning softly at the explosion of flavors that hit her tongue. She listened absently as Katie and Cole discussed Willow’s cold and the various remedies Katie had tried to make her better.
“She’s finally sleeping through the night again,” Katie reported, then glanced toward Sienna. “Do you like it?”
“There aren’t words,” Sienna said around a mouthful, “for how much.”
“I’ll bring you a brownie for later. I don’t think you ever mentioned what brought you to Crimson.”
Sienna placed the uneaten portion of sandwich on the plate, then wiped her mouth with a napkin. “I’m visiting family.”
“That’s great.” Katie clapped her hands together. “Anyone I know?”
Sienna shrugged and shot a look toward Cole.
“Katie is married to Emily’s brother,” he told her.
Her stomach pitched. “Of course she is.” She closed her eyes for a moment, then forced herself to meet Katie’s friendly gaze. “Jase ismybrother.”
She waited for Katie’s expression to change, but if anything it gentled even more. “It’s good to have you back in town. It can’t be easy after all this time, but family is important no matter how much water has passed under the bridge.”
Sienna opened her mouth to argue but found she couldn’t. Although it was silly, the simple blessing from a relative stranger meant something to her.
“Isn’t that right, Cole?” Katie asked quietly, and for the first time Sienna saw the unflappable sheriff look rattled.
“Sure, Katie. I’ll have an iced tea if you don’t mind?”
“Coming right up,” Katie answered and turned away.
“You’re hiding something,” Sienna said, leaning forward across the table. “And Little Mrs. Sunshine knows what it is.”
Cole made a dismissive sound low in his throat. “I’m not hiding anything.” He snagged the remaining half a sandwich. “I also appreciate that you look less like you’re going to claw my eyes out now that you’ve had something to eat. Want to tell me how that started?”
She picked up a fork and stabbed a piece of pasta. Her body was no longer bristling with anger now but the reminder of why she’d come in here in the first place made her chest ache.
“I saw Declan.”
“It didn’t go well?”
She took another bite of pasta salad, stared out the window of the bakery as she chewed, then turned back to Cole. “Before I could gather my courage to approach the door, he saw me. Went out the back door and slipped around my car to knock on the driver’s side window.” She blew out a breath. “Scared me half to death.”
“Sounds like Declan. How did the conversation go?”
“Terrible. I freaked out. I wasn’t ready. But he knew to expect me.” She pointed a finger at Cole. “Because you warned Jase.”
